Chapter 29

We continued our journey through the dead forest with increasingly cautious steps. The trees that once might have been lush and full of life were now just dry broken branches, as if nature here had succumbed to destruction. The air around us was silent, with only the sound of our breathing and the crunch of branches underfoot. There was no life left in this place, the ground was scorched black as if it had been burned, and every time I set foot, I felt as if something had died down there, perhaps the remains of a battle that had taken place.

I raised my hand, signaling my soldiers to stop for a moment. They turned to me, and I nodded slowly, signaling that we could continue forward. Even though I felt a growing sense of anxiety, I knew we had to continue our journey. There was something here, something we had to find.

“Stay alert,” I whispered, “Don’t let your guard down.”

My soldiers nodded, and we started moving again. Each step felt heavier and heavier, as if we were not only walking on the ground, but also on the shadows of the war that had once destroyed this place. Unconsciously, I kept looking to my right and left, searching for signs of life, or even enemies that might be hiding among the dead trees. I don’t know why, but the feeling that we were being watched grew stronger as the journey went on. It wasn’t just me, I could see from the tense expressions of my soldiers that they felt the same way.

“Your Majesty,” one of the soldiers whispered to me, his eyes narrowed, trying to penetrate the surrounding darkness. “There’s something here, I can feel it.”

I looked up at him, trying to convince myself not to look panicked. “Stay calm,” I replied quietly. “We don’t know what’s here yet.”

After a while, being in a place like this was really tense and scary. One by one, we found human skulls on every path we traveled, coupled with the scorched and black ground and the silence that was so pronounced there. It really is like a cursed forest in a horror movie.

Of course, humans who still have normal fears like humans in general will feel scared in a place like this. It was as if the forest we were walking through could swallow anyone at any time with the horrifying images it showed.

Although my words sounded convincing, inside my heart, fear was creeping in. This place was too quiet, yet unnaturally quiet. There were no animal sounds, no rustling wind, just a suffocating silence. Every now and then, I heard a crackle from the darker direction of the forest, making my heart beat faster. Was it just my imagination, or was there really something lurking around?

But even if it was all imagination, why wasn’t I the only one who felt and thought that something was stalking us? The soldiers beside me also felt the same way and had repeatedly complained to me that they felt they were being stalked by something or someone.

Doesn’t that mean that what I was feeling wasn’t just a premonition?

Just as I was about to sink into my anxiety, there was a sudden voice from the shadows between the trees. My instincts kicked in. I signaled my soldiers, and they immediately got ready, drawing their weapons. We all held our breath, waiting to see what would emerge from the darkness.

The footsteps got closer, and the shadow of a human figure emerged from behind the darker ruins of a tree. My heart raced faster, my hand poised on the hilt of my sword. However, before we could attack, the figure suddenly stopped, and from behind the darkness, came a soft voice we hadn’t expected.

“Relax, I’m not the enemy.”

The figure stepped out of the shadows, and the lingering light in the twilight sky illuminated his face. A young man in the uniform of a soldier of the Kingdom of Bordan, his face seemed friendly and welcoming, despite the obvious fatigue in his eyes. I held my breath, lowered my sword slightly, but remained on guard.

“Who are you?” I asked, my voice still sounding stiff with caution.

I didn’t want to get too close to that person while I didn’t yet know who he was and what his intentions were for appearing in the middle of this terrifying forest alone. He could be a dangerous person for our group.

The man smiled slightly, then placed his hand on his chest, giving a respectful greeting. “My name is Vincent, soldier of the Kingdom of Bordan. I have been here for a long time, waiting for help or just a sign of life from people like you.”

I’m still not sure. This place was so quiet and tense, and then suddenly one person just appeared? This was too strange. I glanced at my soldiers, who looked just as suspicious as me, although some of them seemed to be getting a little relieved.

I saw from the man’s appearance that the clothes he was wearing were similar to what the soldiers who came with me were wearing. And also from the man’s movements, it didn’t look like he wanted to attack.

“What are you doing here alone?” I asked, my eyes still checking around, making sure no one else was hiding.

Even so I knew for sure that this wasn’t a trap. The friendly and warm welcome could have been to cover up the enemies who were hiding and ready to attack when we were off guard.

Vincent sighed. “I was part of the army that used to fight here. However, after the last war, many soldiers died or were pulled back to the capital. I and a few other soldiers were left behind to guard this area, but... Only a very few of us remained here. The others have... left.”

I frowned. “Gone? Where are the other soldiers?”

Vincent’s face darkened for a moment before he answered. “Some were killed, and some are... missing. I’m not sure what happened to them. There is something strange about this place, Your Majesty.”

His words made my hair stand up. “Strange how?”

Vincent seemed to hesitate for a moment, but finally he spoke. “This place feels like it’s cursed. After the great battle a few weeks ago, everything changed. This land is no longer the same. We often felt watched, but never knew who or what was watching us.”

He said that and we happened to feel the same way when we were in this forest. Little by little, I began to believe him because we basically felt the same way. Doesn’t he mean the same as us?

I exchanged glances with my soldiers. They all looked uneasy, but no one spoke. The sense of dread was becoming clearer, as if there was something behind every shadow that stalked our movements.

“You’re alone here now?” I asked again, still not fully believing his story.

Vincent nodded. “Not really, I’m with some other soldiers. But I have a tent not far from here. If you want to rest for a while, you can come there. It may not be the most comfortable place, but at least it’s safe for tonight.”

I considered his offer for a moment. We were all tired, and this place felt increasingly tense. Resting for a while might not be a bad idea, but at the same time, I couldn’t completely get rid of my suspicions. However, looking at my soldiers who looked increasingly tired, I decided to accept his offer. I had to trust my instincts this time.

I was quite sorry to hear that the man had set up a tent here. That meant he was very lonely amidst the eerie silence here. I can’t imagine being in his shoes and living in such a tense place especially at night.

“Alright,” I said, trying to smile despite the wariness still in my heart. “We’ll rest in your tent. But, before that, I want to know something.”

Vincent raised his eyebrows, waiting for me to continue.

“Why is this place so quiet?” I asked. “It’s just you and maybe a few other soldiers. Where are the Fiodori soldiers? Is the war here over?”

Vincent let out a long breath, and for a moment, he seemed hesitant to answer. “The battle here... was never really over, Your Majesty. The Fiodori forces have temporarily retreated, but they will return. And when they do, this place will turn into hell once more.”

His answer made my heart beat faster. So, the war hasn’t really ended. It’s just a lull. And in between that pause, we were stuck here, in a place that felt more like a graveyard than a battlefield.

“Alright,” I said finally. “Let’s go to that tent. But we still have to be vigilant. Something about this place... feels wrong.”

Vincent nodded in agreement. “I understand. We’ll keep watch, and I also don’t know when and how the soldiers from the Fiodori kingdom will return here for a surprise attack.”

With that, we began to follow Vincent towards the tent that he said was safe. However, in my heart, suspicion and anxiety still lingered. This place was too quiet, too lonely, and somehow, I felt that what we saw on the surface was only a fraction of what was really going on here.